PICC Lines

[Markus]

I love to be in the gym its kind of my therapy if you will.  I have to get yet another PICC line put in and am wondering what you guys do to exercise?  do you do light exercises in the gym, nothing at all??  Silly question I know but why do they not want people to workout...is it to avoid infection?  (never really asked a doc)  <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
thanks! 

 

[Markus]

I love to be in the gym its kind of my therapy if you will. I have to get yet another PICC line put in and am wondering what you guys do to exercise? do you do light exercises in the gym, nothing at all?? Silly question I know but why do they not want people toworkout...is it to avoid infection? (never really asked a doc) <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

thanks!

 

[Markus]

<p>I love to be in the gym its kind of my therapy if you will. I have to get yet another PICC line put in and am wondering what you guys do to exercise? do you do light exercises in the gym, nothing at all?? Silly question I know but why do they not want people toworkout...is it to avoid infection? (never really asked a doc) <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
<p>
<p>thanks!

 

[kiwilady]

Hello Markus
You haved posed an interesting question. I believe exercise is imperative to our regaining our lost L/F.
For me, after a hospital stay, it usually takes a few days of complete rest to feel upto entertaining the thought of getting physical!
I also do my own home IVs to enable me to get home sooner. I asked my Chest Physician if I could continue to play tennis whilst the PICC line was in place. He said there was no reason not to. I play doubles and just avoid the net position, incase I'm whacked with a body shot to the PICC area. I have the PICC line inserted in my upper left arm, [I'm right-handed] The dressing is partially hidden by my shirt sleeve. I check on it often, have had no probs, whilst playing tennis. When I do my IV's, I check the site for tenderness. If it's unusually red and sore to touch I would suspect an infection and seek med advice.

I guess it's like so many CF issues, it's down to the individual person's choice of exercise. I would be a little wary of maybe playing a contact sport, like rugby, it would be a painful experience to have the line ripped out!!
If I can't play tennis, I opt for my stationary bike as another source of regular exercise.
Hey, it will be good to see if other's do any form of exercise while they have a PICC line. Walking up hill and down dale shouldn't raise any dangers......
Good luck at the gym.

Cheers
Eileen.

 

[kiwilady]

Hello Markus
You haved posed an interesting question. I believe exercise is imperative to our regaining our lost L/F.
For me, after a hospital stay, it usually takes a few days of complete rest to feel upto entertaining the thought of getting physical!
I also do my own home IVs to enable me to get home sooner. I asked my Chest Physician if I could continue to play tennis whilst the PICC line was in place. He said there was no reason not to. I play doubles and just avoid the net position, incase I'm whacked with a body shot to the PICC area. I have the PICC line inserted in my upper left arm, [I'm right-handed] The dressing is partially hidden by my shirt sleeve. I check on it often, have had no probs, whilst playing tennis. When I do my IV's, I check the site for tenderness. If it's unusually red and sore to touch I would suspect an infection and seek med advice.

I guess it's like so many CF issues, it's down to the individual person's choice of exercise. I would be a little wary of maybe playing a contact sport, like rugby, it would be a painful experience to have the line ripped out!!
If I can't play tennis, I opt for my stationary bike as another source of regular exercise.
Hey, it will be good to see if other's do any form of exercise while they have a PICC line. Walking up hill and down dale shouldn't raise any dangers......
Good luck at the gym.

Cheers
Eileen.

 

[kiwilady]

Hello Markus
<br />You haved posed an interesting question. I believe exercise is imperative to our regaining our lost L/F.
<br /> For me, after a hospital stay, it usually takes a few days of complete rest to feel upto entertaining the thought of getting physical!
<br />I also do my own home IVs to enable me to get home sooner. I asked my Chest Physician if I could continue to play tennis whilst the PICC line was in place. He said there was no reason not to. I play doubles and just avoid the net position, incase I'm whacked with a body shot to the PICC area. I have the PICC line inserted in my upper left arm, [I'm right-handed] The dressing is partially hidden by my shirt sleeve. I check on it often, have had no probs, whilst playing tennis. When I do my IV's, I check the site for tenderness. If it's unusually red and sore to touch I would suspect an infection and seek med advice.
<br />
<br />I guess it's like so many CF issues, it's down to the individual person's choice of exercise. I would be a little wary of maybe playing a contact sport, like rugby, it would be a painful experience to have the line ripped out!!
<br />If I can't play tennis, I opt for my stationary bike as another source of regular exercise.
<br />Hey, it will be good to see if other's do any form of exercise while they have a PICC line. Walking up hill and down dale shouldn't raise any dangers......
<br />Good luck at the gym.
<br />
<br />Cheers
<br />Eileen.

 

[theLostMiler]

I think that they dont really prefer to have you lifting weights with the picc arm, and no contact sports mainly b/c of it being knocked around and/or possibly being tugged and pulled on. I dont know if there is necessarily a risk of infection from being "active" but more so not wanting to hurt the area.

When I had PICCs i pretty much did everything I normally did. I did even play ultimate frisbee and other sports as well as camping (just a tent, no motor home haha). I also had PICCs for months at a time so it was really hard to "lay low" to let my body rest while on the antibiotics whereas if you only had a two or three week course, it can be a little easier to let your body "heal" up, to where you can do lots of resting etc.

 

[theLostMiler]

I think that they dont really prefer to have you lifting weights with the picc arm, and no contact sports mainly b/c of it being knocked around and/or possibly being tugged and pulled on. I dont know if there is necessarily a risk of infection from being "active" but more so not wanting to hurt the area.

When I had PICCs i pretty much did everything I normally did. I did even play ultimate frisbee and other sports as well as camping (just a tent, no motor home haha). I also had PICCs for months at a time so it was really hard to "lay low" to let my body rest while on the antibiotics whereas if you only had a two or three week course, it can be a little easier to let your body "heal" up, to where you can do lots of resting etc.

 

[theLostMiler]

I think that they dont really prefer to have you lifting weights with the picc arm, and no contact sports mainly b/c of it being knocked around and/or possibly being tugged and pulled on. I dont know if there is necessarily a risk of infection from being "active" but more so not wanting to hurt the area.
<br />
<br />When I had PICCs i pretty much did everything I normally did. I did even play ultimate frisbee and other sports as well as camping (just a tent, no motor home haha). I also had PICCs for months at a time so it was really hard to "lay low" to let my body rest while on the antibiotics whereas if you only had a two or three week course, it can be a little easier to let your body "heal" up, to where you can do lots of resting etc.

 

[jmiller]

I ABSOLUTELY exercise. I will echo LostMiler in saying that I don't lift weights when I have one... but I keep on running - and I sweat ALOT. The home health agency that we use taught my husband how to change the dressings and they give us alot of extra ones. After a workout, when the sweat has bubbled under my PICC covering and it's easy to pull off, my husband changes it for me. I imagine that not every HH provider would be okay with this, but he does everything just as they would so I am not concerned about infection. Plus, I think staying active helps me get all the gunk out so that I have a better chance of getting rid of the bugs altogether after a clean out.

 

[jmiller]

I ABSOLUTELY exercise. I will echo LostMiler in saying that I don't lift weights when I have one... but I keep on running - and I sweat ALOT. The home health agency that we use taught my husband how to change the dressings and they give us alot of extra ones. After a workout, when the sweat has bubbled under my PICC covering and it's easy to pull off, my husband changes it for me. I imagine that not every HH provider would be okay with this, but he does everything just as they would so I am not concerned about infection. Plus, I think staying active helps me get all the gunk out so that I have a better chance of getting rid of the bugs altogether after a clean out.

 

[jmiller]

I ABSOLUTELY exercise. I will echo LostMiler in saying that I don't lift weights when I have one... but I keep on running - and I sweat ALOT. The home health agency that we use taught my husband how to change the dressings and they give us alot of extra ones. After a workout, when the sweat has bubbled under my PICC covering and it's easy to pull off, my husband changes it for me. I imagine that not every HH provider would be okay with this, but he does everything just as they would so I am not concerned about infection. Plus, I think staying active helps me get all the gunk out so that I have a better chance of getting rid of the bugs altogether after a clean out.

 

[Giggles]

You can do whatever you "feel"up to. You just can not do contact sports or lift weights. No pressure on the picc line arm. I never am able to exercise when on picc, just because I do not feel well enough. But last time I did work out one time and take light walks. So it just depends how you feel. You just can't do anything that would put pressure on picc arm. Good luck! Glad you feel well enough to be active while getting a tune up! Yeah!<br>

 

[Giggles]

You can do whatever you "feel"up to. You just can not do contact sports or lift weights. No pressure on the picc line arm. I never am able to exercise when on picc, just because I do not feel well enough. But last time I did work out one time and take light walks. So it just depends how you feel. You just can't do anything that would put pressure on picc arm. Good luck! Glad you feel well enough to be active while getting a tune up! Yeah!<br>

 

[Giggles]

You can do whatever you "feel"up to. You just can not do contact sports or lift weights. No pressure on the picc line arm. I never am able to exercise when on picc, just because I do not feel well enough. But last time I did work out one time and take light walks. So it just depends how you feel. You just can't do anything that would put pressure on picc arm. Good luck! Glad you feel well enough to be active while getting a tune up! Yeah!<br>

 

[mamaScarlett]

I always exercise with mine. Exercise, cook...basically whatever I physically feel I can handle at the time. I do try to avoid lifting anything very heavy though. So for me that would be no weight lifting, but I know some cfers do so its probably preference.<br>

 

[mamaScarlett]

I always exercise with mine. Exercise, cook...basically whatever I physically feel I can handle at the time. I do try to avoid lifting anything very heavy though. So for me that would be no weight lifting, but I know some cfers do so its probably preference.<br>

 

[mamaScarlett]

I always exercise with mine. Exercise, cook...basically whatever I physically feel I can handle at the time. I do try to avoid lifting anything very heavy though. So for me that would be no weight lifting, but I know some cfers do so its probably preference.<br>

 

[maryiris]

Agreed with the above - I exercise - no lifting of anything. I do tone-down the exercising a bit when I have the picc.

Speaking of piccs - little side note:


Cleaning lady at Children's National felt bad for me - taping up the arm to shower was tearing my skin off (very sensitive) - she went down to the burn unit and found a glove - it's huge - covers your entire arm - secure it at the shoulder and you have full movement with lots of bending room. Much better!! Just one of those times someone went above and beyond and made a big difference.

 

[maryiris]

Agreed with the above - I exercise - no lifting of anything. I do tone-down the exercising a bit when I have the picc.

Speaking of piccs - little side note:


Cleaning lady at Children's National felt bad for me - taping up the arm to shower was tearing my skin off (very sensitive) - she went down to the burn unit and found a glove - it's huge - covers your entire arm - secure it at the shoulder and you have full movement with lots of bending room. Much better!! Just one of those times someone went above and beyond and made a big difference.